The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that 90% of those suffering severe pain from cancer or other diseases could be helped with drugs that have been available for at least a quarter of a century. This brings up a sore subject for the medical profession, because, as researchers found, doctors are not on top of pain. A study of almost 14,000 elderly cancer patients in nursing homes found that as many as 40% received inadequate medical attention and reported daily pain. (editorial)